JORDAN SPIETH stayed on course for a US$10 million payday at the Tour Championships on Saturday, firing a two-under-par 68 to snatch a one-shot lead as Sweden’s Henrik Stenson faltered.

    In torrential rain at the East Lake Golf Course, Spieth closed out a solid round in difficult conditions with a superb curling 20-foot birdie putt on the 18th to cap a battling third round performance.

    Spieth will pocket a US$1.48 million winner’s check as well as a US$10 million bonus for clinching the FedEx Cup playoff series if he hangs on to his lead in Sunday’s finale to the USPGA season.

    “It was a fantastic day,” Spieth said. “I would have taken even par when the day started and so to finish a couple under was fantastic.”

    But it was a frustrating third round for overnight leader Stenson, who saw his three-shot lead evaporate after a scratchy two-over-par 72, which included four bogeys and only two birdies.

    Stenson looked to have overcome a wobble on the back nine, when he posted consecutive birdies on the 10th and 11th before a birdie on the 14th restored his two-shot cushion.

    However Spieth notched a birdie on the 15th to halve Stenson’s lead and when the Swede bogeyed the 17th the two rivals headed to the 18th as joint leaders before Spieth produced another birdie to take sole ownership on eight-under 202.

    Stenson admitted he had struggled in the grimy conditions, which he likened to a muddy endurance race.

    “Wet, muddy, rough,” Stenson said. “What is that race called, Tough Mudder? Is that what it’s called? That’s what it felt like.

    “All in all, it was a tough day and I didn’t play my best, but I still think I kept it together quite nicely in tough conditions.”

    Stenson, on 203, has a three-shot advantage over his nearest rivals, with Rickie Fowler and England’s Paul Casey tied for third on four under.

    Fowler produced a scintillating back nine performance,which included four birdies to finish with a three-under-par 67.

    (SD-Agencies)